Tag: Kent Haruf

I had big plans today. Decluttering two rooms at home. Filing papers at work. Attending a social justice meeting tonight.

But first I needed to facilitate the second of two Christmas book club meetings; the first was last night. Which really meant that I was to bring the drinks and paper products. I opted for hot cider in my crock pot and little bottles of chilled water and Christmas plates and napkins from the dollar store. Oh, and homemade chocolate crinkle cookies that I’d made yesterday. Then lead the discussion of a most wonderful book, Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf.

I returned home to find an email from a student who is questioning her grade. After a hectic week of assessing projects and papers and final exams, I submitted grades Sunday night. Iesha is right. She earned an A, not the B I had entered into the system. So now I get to print out a grade change form and take it to the college where it begins its journey through the offices of the education dean, the provost, and then admissions and records. I have done this before. You’d think I’d learn.

I’m feeling less ambitious about those plans for the day. On the way home from submitting the form, I stop at the bookstore to get a cafe au lait to go, but instead of leaving, I take the back corner table and pull out another Kent Haruf book, Plainsong, that I began a couple days ago.

Ah, this feels better.

What’s the rush Laura? Spring semester doesn’t start for a month. You have time. Take care of yourself today.

It’s the Advent season. A time of slowing down, watching, listening. But everything around me seems to be in such a hurry. And so noisy!

Not me. Not in my little bookstore corner. Not now.

I turned in my grades. I facilitated the book club Christmas parties. Back at home I’m ready to put on pajamas (yes, it’s only 5:00), heat up some chicken noodle soup that I made the other day, write a bit more and finish reading this book.

I’ll get into “responsible” mode soon enough. The rooms will probably get cleaned, papers will be filed before next semester and I can find other meetings to attend. But for now, I’m letting Advent and the coming of Winter remind me to slow down.

Writing Topic: Slowing Down

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” Mary Oliver